บท 22: Miyuki

"A dun...? Sorry, I'm lost. What are we discussing?" Karina interjected, her curiosity piqued.

"I suppose you've never heard of one before. Come closer, and I'll tell you," Elizabeth responded, her tone cryptic.

Karina, unable to resist her curiosity, leaned in closer, assuming the conversation was meant to be discreet. As she drew near, Elizabeth's expression turned mischievous, and she leaned towards Karina's ear.

"A dungeon is a complex maze often consisting of cave structures, rumored to be teeming with monsters and evil creatures at every turn. However, it is also known to be a treasure trove, offering riches and invaluable experience to those brave enough to explore its depths. At the heart of every dungeon lies a formidable adversary known as the boss," Elizabeth whispered conspiratorially.

Karina shuddered involuntarily, unsure if it was due to fascination or fear. She was already familiar with the existence of vile monsters in their world, but the idea of an even more potent threat capable of jeopardizing their entire realm was unsettling.

"What about this boss? Is it truly as strong as you say?" Karina inquired, her voice betraying a hint of apprehension.

"Oh, without a doubt! It's the most powerful entity within the labyrinth. In fact, it's practically impossible to defeat it without a well-equipped party," Elizabeth explained.

"How do you possess such knowledge? This is incredibly dangerous! We must alert everyone immediately! Allowing such a huge threat to roam freely could spell doom for our world. We need to rally all available forces," Karina exclaimed, her voice rising in urgency.

"Shhhhhhh!" Elizabeth and Caspondis, both alarmed, hastily attempted to silence Karina before she could disclose any more information.

"Are you trying to share this information to everyone?" Elizabeth muttered, her tone tinged with concern.

"I apologize, but the gravity of the situation cannot be understated. Your pursuit of wealth seems to blind you to the severity of our predicament," Karina retorted, her voice laced with frustration.

"Oh dear," Caspondis interjected nervously, casting furtive glances around to ensure their conversation remained private.

"Don't worry. These monsters, including the boss, are sealed within the walls of the dungeon. There is no threat to this world outside its boundaries. However, the danger lies in going inside, risking life and limb," Natalia reassured, attempting to assuage Karina's apprehensions.

"But if they are sealed within, why provoke them? And how can we be certain they won't try escaping?" Karina questioned, her skepticism evident.

"We can guarantee the safety of this world from their danger. However, should we fail to escape when entering a dangerous situation , certain death awaits, not to mention the amount traps lurking within," Natalia explained, emphasizing the dangers.

"Why would anyone entertain such a dangerous thing? Venturing into a dark abyss where only the most strongest monsters dwell. Are these so-called heroes simply reckless? Yet, none of them seem daunted in the slightest. Perhaps it's because they don't fear death, unlike us. They did mention the potential for gaining valuable combat experience. Could this be what I need to grow stronger? Should I accept?" Karina thought, weighing her options carefully.

"I regret causing you concern, but what do you say? Are you prepared to join us?" Elizabeth inquired, awaiting Karina's decision.

"When do you intend to venture into this... place?" Karina inquired, arms crossed in front of her.

"Well, it's almost 7:00 now, so... exactly two days from today, at 5:00 in the evening," Caspondis replied confidently.

"What do you mean, 'it's almost 7:00'? Before entering here, I checked the clock on the church, and it indicated nearly 15:00," Karina countered, puzzled.

Natalia glanced down at her menu, visible only to her and other players, but concealing certain information. "Currently, it's 6:53 IRL, which means we have less than 30 minutes in the game, as the log-out time is set for 7:00 in the morning or 15:00 in the game's time," she silently reflected.

"Oops, my mistake. But the timing remains the same—two days from now!" Caspondis corrected himself.

"Idiot!" Elizabeth chided, playfully punching his shoulder.

"I have a question. Why do all you heroes leave for two days and then return for two days? Where do you go? And why is it always at 15:00?" Karina inquired, her curiosity piqued.

"Although she can be excessively curious, it's true that many other NPCs would start asking similar questions. While it's also true that some logged in at different times or stayed in-game for shorter periods, the majority of us logged in and out at the same times. Thankfully, we thought of a well-known lie to tell them," Natalia ruminated, keeping her thoughts to herself.

"You see, since we cannot die, we enter a sort of state of sleep for two days until we can return to this world again!" Caspondis explained confidently.

This lie had become popular in forums in real life and had become a universal way to explain to NPCs that they were immortal but with that one limitation. Most NPCs never pressed further, accepting the explanation as fact.

—

Here's a revised version with improved word complexity:

"Thank you for the invitation," Natalia expressed, bowing her head respectfully.

"Yeah, thanks," Karina added, echoing the sentiment.

They all stood outside The Bleak Cork Tavern.

"Don't mention it. Thank you both for accepting our invitation," Caspondis replied cheerfully, smiling.

"Well, we'll see you two in two days, okay? Remember the location, please don't forget it!" Elizabeth reminded them as she waved goodbye, walking away with Caspondis in the opposite direction.

Natalia and Karina headed in the other direction.

"Um, hey, I never got the chance to tell you, you fought really well. I had no chance against you," Natalia complimented.

"Not really. You almost had me at the end. If I hadn't done what I did, you would've definitely landed a good hit," Karina admitted modestly.

"Still, you outmatched me the entire time. Plus, you were holding back most of the time. You could've easily ended the battle," Natalia insisted.

"You're giving me too much credit. Besides, I've rarely seen another woman as skilled with a sword as you are. I thought I was one of the few women who actually used a sword," Karina admitted.

"Where did you learn to wield a sword?" Natalia inquired.

"From my father. He... he..." Karina hesitated, struggling to control her emotions.

"Ever since it was just me and him, he trained me to be strong. I never wanted to be strong, but after a while, I realized that's all I ever wanted to be... strong," Karina revealed, looking down at the ground as they walked.

"Why am I telling her all of this?" Karina wondered silently.

"How did you learn?" Karina asked, changing the subject.

"Actually, my grandfather owned a dojo, so he made me learn," Natalia explained.

"Dojo? It seems we were both made to learn, huh," Karina remarked, smiling.

"Yeah. I stopped practicing after I grew older, though," Natalia replied, her expression slightly melancholic.

"You know, me too," Karina admitted.

"Really? So, what led you to join the knights?" Natalia inquired.

"Actually, it was because of a guy..." Karina began.

"A guy? Don't tell me he forced you into it!" Natalia interrupted, concerned.

"No, no, nothing like that. I used to call him Bunny Ears. He was a hero, much like you," Karina explained.

"Was a hero?" Natalia asked, puzzled.

"Yes. He..." Karina trailed off, finding it difficult to recall the moment Akio died in her arms. "He died in my arms."

"Oh, but you know they respawn, right?" Natalia offered, trying to console her.

"Yeah, but he never did. I was left all alone. I was attacked many times by your people. And with each attack, I grew angrier at him for leaving me to die. When I returned to my hometown, I waited and waited, but he never showed," Karina hissed, the pain evident in her voice.

"Was she in love? I've never heard of an NPC loving a player! What a tragic love story! But if he never came back, he must have been a terrible guy," Natalia mused silently.

"Eventually, I decided to search for him in The Forest of Dark Dreams, but found nothing. Before that, though, I realized that day he disappeared that I needed to become stronger. I had relied on heroes my whole life to save this world, but to them, this world was just a game," Karina concluded, her resolve evident.

"Game?! Wh... why would you assume that?" Natalia nervously replied.

"Their behavior suggests they don't take anything seriously, so I will. Maybe it's thanks to Bunny Ears, who left me stranded, that I realized this for myself, even though he was the only hero I actually liked," Karina explained.

"Mmm, I was also left stranded once," Natalia admitted, looking down.

"Really? Was it by some guy?" Karina inquired.

"Yes, someone I really liked. The only thing is, I only found out after, the true reason why he never made it to our meeting spot," Natalia explained, her voice trembling as she fought back tears.

"Why was he supposed to meet you? It's clear he meant a lot to you," Karina observed.

"Yes, he did, even though I had only just met him. You see, I wasn't the best hero in this world. Despite practicing with the sword since childhood, I froze up whenever I held one and never used it correctly. But when I met him, he told me he'd love to help me, and it gave me some confidence. But when he never showed up for our meeting that day, I... I..." Natalia's voice trailed off as tears welled up in her eyes.

Concerned, Karina moved closer. "Hey, what's wrong? Are you okay?"

"I, uh, I have to go. It's almost time," Natalia said abruptly, opening her menu. Before the city bells could ring, she vanished, leaving Karina alone and confused.

—

"Good morning, it is 6:59," a prompt appeared before her face.

The cube opened, and she rose from her bed, using her hands to wipe away the tears that flowed freely down her cheeks.

"Miyuki, it's almost time. Get dressed and come down for breakfast," a voice called from outside her room.

Otake Miyuki stood up and walked to her closet, opening it to retrieve her uniform. After taking it out, she closed the door and caught sight of her reflection in the mirror. Her face was slightly swollen, and tears continued to stream down her cheeks.

"It's already been a week since that day," she muttered to herself.

Opening the closet once more, she gazed at a black kimono.

"But it's only been two days since I wore this," she said, pulling out the kimono and crying even more.

The sight of the kimono reminded her of the pain she felt, as she had worn it to Akio's funeral. Despite only having met him briefly, the thought of never seeing him again was excruciatingly painful.